Beverages to Toast the Holiday SeasonWritten by Arleen M. Kaptur
Winter winds, crunchy snow, sledding, skiing, or whatever your cold weather activities are - nothing warms you and gives your body a lift like an aromatic hot beverage - sipped by an open fire, sitting in a cozy chair near fireplace, or by a window watching snow fall - *** Holiday Coffee: 2/3 cup cocoa, 2 tsp. ground cinnamon, 1 tsp. salt, 2 14-oz. cans sweetened condensed milk, 8 cups water, 3 cups strong coffee, cinnamon sticks, ground nutmeg Combine cocoa, cinnamon and salt in a large pot. Add sweetened condensed milk, stirring until smooth. Place pan over medium heat; gradually stir in water and coffee. Heat thoroughly but do not boil or milk will curdle. Garnish each serving with a cinnamon stick and sprinkle with nutmeg. Refrigerate leftovers if there are any. Add 1 cup brandy and 1/2 cup light rum along with water and coffee if desired. A touch of warmth - a bit of spice! *** Hot Buttered Rum: 1 cup butter, softened, 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar, 2 cups sifted powdered sugar, 1-1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon, 1 pint vanilla ice cream, softened, 1-3/4 to 2 cups light rum, 7-1/2 cups boiling water, whipped cream, ground nutmeg, cinnamon sticks Combine butter, sugar, and cinnamon; beat until light and fluffy. Add ice cream, stirring until well blended. Spoon mixture into a freezer container; and freeze until firm. To serve, thaw mixture slightly. Combine butter mixture, rum, and boiling water; stir well. Top each serving with whipped cream and sprinkle with nutmeg. Serve with cinnamon stick stirrers, if desired. An old-fashioned trip to flavor!
| | Family Bonding Activities for Thanksgiving.Written by Susan Dunn, M.A., Professional Coach
Permissino to reprint and change title. -------------- There are three main themes for Thanksgiving: gratitude, harvest, and family. We can lose track of these things when we're busy preparing for company and big meals, and Christmas shopping, and kids are out of school too! Here are some ways you and family can share some time recapturing meaning of Thanksgiving, or even start some new traditions.Let each member of family make a list of things they're grateful for. Read lists before meal and save them for memories in years to come. Start a "thanks" journal you'll keep all year. Instead of writing down problems and concerns, write down things you're grateful for. Think harvest! Make a trip to your local Farmers Market or Produce Row to take photos, have fun, and support people who feed us all! Spend long weekend on family projects such as making a Family Tree. For help, visit ancestry.com, or check out Family Tree maker on geneology.org. How about some family crafting for Thanksgiving? There are some great crafts ideas hereto do with kids, plus recipes, songs, and learning activities, even computer worksheets for older “kids”. Put family photos in order, and share some memories and tales. Go here to learn basics of scrapbooking. Take time to sort them by date, and write on backs who all people are.
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